Fitness Friday 12/18: Plank Rotations

Today's mini workout is a quick one - if you go through it the recommended 2 times, it'll only take you 4 minutes!  And the best part?  Not a single piece of equipment is needed.  We're rotating through 4 planks today, each position holding for 30 seconds for a total of 2 minutes per round.  I'd like you to try to get through 2 rounds all the way through with no break.  Think you can do it?!  Here ya go!

Fitness Friday 12/18: Plank Rotations

Fitness Friday 12/18

2 x 3 (2 rounds, 3 times today)

This will be a quick description since all you're doing is rotating around to face all directions in a plank position. 

Regular Plank - start in a regular plank either up high or down low on your forearm.  Hold that position for 30 seconds, drawing your abs in toward your spine and keeping your head neutral.

Side Plank on Left Arm - now switch over from the regular plank to a side plank on your left arm, keeping your hips elevated (and spine aligned).  Stay either up high on your hand or low on your forearm.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Face-Up Plank - now turn so both hands are on the ground again (or both forearms) and you're facing upward toward the ceiling.  Elevate your hips as much as you can, digging your heels into the ground.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Side Plank on Right Arm - same side plank position but on the other side now.  Remember to keep your hips raised so your spine draws a straight line from head to tailbone.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Go through that sequence one more time for the full plank workout, and try to fit it in 2 more times today. 

Optional progressions for more of a challenge: in your side planks, lift the top leg or pulse your hips up and down.  In the face-up plank, lift one leg for 15 seconds, then the other for the next 15.

Readers: chat with me!  How often do you do exercises in your office/at work?  Do you enjoy these Fitness Friday mini workouts?  Are they feasible for you to do at work or at home?  What else would you like to see for workday workouts?  Happy Friday!

Fitness Friday 12/11: Quad Burners

Happy Friday, everyone!  I hope you all had a good week.  Today's workday workout is lower body focused with some quad exercises you can easily do anywhere you find yourself today.  In the office, at home, on the go... you don't need any equipment of course, and it'll only take you 5 minutes to complete the recommended 2 rounds!  Ready to work those legs? 

Fitness Friday 12/11: Quad Burners

Fitness Friday 12/11

2 x 3 (two rounds, 3 times today)
Each exercise will last 30 seconds.  For the exercises where you're working one leg at a time, do 30 seconds on each leg.  Let's go!

Alternating Floor Taps w/ Side Lunge - start by stepping out to the right into a low side lunge and bring your left hand down to the floor, then quickly hop over to the other side.  Think about keeping your upper body in the same position and touching your hands down to the same spot on the floor.  All that's moving are your legs.  Keep going for 30 seconds.

Single Leg Squat Hold w/ Side Tap - squat down as low as you can on your right leg, keeping your chest up and gaze forward.  From here, extend your left leg out to the side and lightly tap your toes to the floor.  Bring it back in to meet your right foot.  Keep tapping out to the side for 30 seconds then switch legs for another 30 seconds.  Trainer Tip: your weight should be all on the stationary leg here.  So when you tap your foot out to the side, try not to put any weight on it.

Forward Stamp Lunges - lunge forward on your right leg, keeping your chest up and hands on your hips.  From here, explode up with the right leg so you come almost back to standing, and place that leg back down on the floor into a lunge again.  Keep exploding up and "stamping" back down into a lunge for 30 seconds on each leg. 

Remember to do 1 more round for the full mini workout, and then twice more throughout your day today. 

Readers: chat with me!  How was your week this week?  What fun workouts did you do?  What'd you do during your workdays to stay active?  Anyone up to anything fun and active this weekend?

Fitness Friday 12/4: Standing Abs

In today's Fitness Friday mini workout, I'm giving you some ab exercises that you can easily do anywhere.  All it requires is that you stand up.  Seriously.  That's all you have to do to get started.  So if you're working at the office right now or plopped down on the couch, stand up.  Let this serve as your reminder to get yourself up out of wherever you're sitting and move your body today.  Ready to get started?

Fitness Friday 12/4: Standing Abs

Fitness Friday 12/4

All you need to do is stand up out of your chair and time yourself for 1 minute of each of these moves.  It's that easy!

Hip Hinge Sweeps - (I didn't have a better name for these...)  Start standing with your fingers lightly behind your head, elbows out.  Hinge at the hips (bend forward) with a flat back, and stop halfway down, engaging your abs.  From here, sweep your upper body to the left, then back to center, then over to the right, back to center, then raise yourself back up to standing straight.  That whole time remember to keep your back flat (no bend in the spine) and focus on engaging your abs as you rotate.  Continue the pattern for 1 minute.

Standing Side Crunches - place your left hand on your hip and the right arm extended up overhead.  From here, bring your right knee up and right elbow down to meet in the middle, engaging your obliques as you crunch.  Extend both back to starting position.  Keep crunching for 30 seconds on the right side, then switch to the left for 30 seconds.

Marching Knee Presses - stand straight up, feet about hip width apart, elbows bent by your sides, hands out with palms facing the floor.  Lift one knee up to meet your hands and press against yourself (knee against hands and hands against knee).  Hold that position for 10 seconds, engaging your abs as you create resistance.  Lower that leg back down and repeat on the other side for 10 seconds.  Alternate legs, holding the press for 10 seconds each for 1 minute total.

Remember to go through that 2 more times for the full workout, and try to fit it in 2 more times today!  Bonus points for getting your coworkers, friends, and/or family involved, too!

Readers: chat with me!  Do you have any favorite standing bodyweight exercises?  How do you get your movement in during your work days?  What's everyone up to this weekend?